The joke has worn thin (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

The joke has worn thin

LEIGH ROBINSON says it's time to bury the link between poor cars and bad jokes. Let's just enjoy the drive.

Okay, okay, okay. We've heard it a thousand times now. The new Skoda cars are nothing like the old ones.

So the old jokes that were told monotonously 15 years ago are now no longer fair or even appropriate.

The fact of the matter is in this modern, cut-throat world which is motoring, if Skoda hadn't changed then they would not have survived, just like the communist system they were developed under.

Now no-one makes bad cars because no-one can afford to. Remem-ber the British car industry? A long line of terrible workers, terrible management and terrible governments.

But when people say to you that Skodas are just as good as their parent company Volkswagen, they are wrong. Sure they might be thousands of pounds cheaper than the Volkswagen, but it tells.

Sure they are good cars. But they are not great, which you'd have to say when talking about the majority of the Volkswagen range.

The irony is that Skoda is one of the oldest automotive companies in the world, having started in business in 1895 when two blokes called Laurin and Klement began by making bicycles, then motorcycles, and moving to car production in 1905.

Over those 110 years, Skoda has made some of the finest motorcars in the world, including Hispano- Suizas and the original Superb in the 1930s.

Then after the Second World War when Czechoslovakia was run by communists, the only decent thing that could be manufactured there was Semtex.

That was the explosive that was used with great effect by the IRA in killing innocent people in Northern Ireland. But I don't think these so-called freedom fighters ever used a Skoda for a getaway vehicle. They could rely on the explosives but not the car.

Over the past decade, Skoda has moved back into the mainstream of European car manufacturing and delivers value for money to customers who prefer to spend less.

But there is an attractive range of models that includes the supermini Fabia, the sporty vRS range, the flagship Superb and the new Octavia. All give exceptional value and provide great products, well equipped and keenly priced.

The Octavia is the successor to the popular model with the same name.

It took its name from Skoda history the first Octavia was presented to the public in 1959. It was a new version of the Skoda 440, (also called the Spartak), that was manufactured until that time.

The original Octavia was manufactured from 1959 until 1964, when it was replaced by the new Skoda 1000 MB. A total of 365,000 Octavias were produced from 1959 to 1971.

The next version of the Octavia was introduced in 1996 and was a significant milestone in the modern history of Skoda.

It represented a new image and expression of the brand and, at the same time, clearly identified its future.

In addition to the hatchback body, an estate version was also built, beginning in 1998.

The Octavia range underwent a facelift in 2000, followed in 2001 by the introductions of the rugged Octavia 4x4 and the sporty vRS.

Octavia has become known to the public as a reliable, solid and valuable car. With its outstanding qualities, it has been popular among motorists and appreciated by critics.

Its success is reflected by its records it was the first Skoda model to reach the one million production level in February 2004.

The Octavia has contributed to a revolutionary change in the public's awareness of Skoda and thus has significantly improved the make's image.

It is a pleasure to drive goes well, corners well and has sufficient oomph to be impressive. Okay, there are times when you need a little more, but for the majority of motorists it will more than suffice.

Customers for the new Octavia are a mixture of private buyers and company car drivers, especially user-choosers. Competitors in the A-sector, where it sits in terms of price, include the Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 307, Renault Megane and Ford Focus.

Skoda Octavia

Various models with engine sizes from 1.4 to two litres with two diesel models.

Prices from £10,750 to the top of the range Elegance at £17,500

For the 1.6 FSI top speed is 123mph with 0-60mph in 11.2 seconds.

Combined mpg is just over 40 with urban at 30mpg and extra urban 50.

For more information contact:

Fish Brothers Skoda, Paddington Drive, Swindon.

Tel 01793 645604.

Grey Gables Garage, Bampton Road, Curbridge, Witney.

Tel 01993 702609.

Turners of Erlestoke, High Street, Erlestoke, Devizes.

Tel 01380 830268.